Collating device



March 9 1926.

H. V. ASHBY COLLATING DEVICE Filed April 15. 1925 '4 sheets-sheet 1March 9 1926.

H, v. Asl-:BY

COLLATING DEVICE Filed April 13. 1923 4 'Sheets-Sheet 2 March 9 9 i926.1,575,89

H. V. ASHBY COLLATING DEVICE Filed April 13, 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet 3-March 9 1926. l',575,89l

H. v. AsHBY COLLATING DEVICE Filed April l5, 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet 4Patented liflar. t9, 1926. i -UNHT STATES PATENT @FFHCO HARRY V. ASHBY,OF ERE, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO EDWARD 3B. ASHBY, OF NEWYORK, N. Y.

COLLATING DEVICE.

Application filed April U13, 1923. Serial No. 631,920.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, HARRY V. A sHBY, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of Erie, in the county of Erie and State of e Pennsylvania,have invented certain new and useful Improvements inCollating Devices,of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to machines for collating, or associating,sheets, signatures, etc. rlhe invention has forits general object theproduction of a machine of this kind which is of simple and ruggedconstruction and thoroughly reliable in operation.

Briefiy stated, the machine according to 15 the present inventioncomprises two or more supports for piles f sheets and means forsimultaneously taking a sheet from each pile and depositing'thern one ontop of another as a group of sheets.

The objects and features of novelty will be apparent from thedescription taken in connection with the' drawings, in which Fig. 1 is aside elevation of a machine embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of a portion of themachine shownby Fig. 1, on a larger scale.

Fig. 3 is a perspective View on a still larger scale, showing moreparticularly the sheet lifting devices and the reciprocating sheetgrippers.

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view on line 4 4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional View on line 5-5 of Fig. 4, parts beingbroken away.

Fig. 6 is a detail side view showing a set of sheet gripping fingers andthe mechanism for opening said lingers as they approach their sheetreceiving position.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view through a sheetreceiving tray, illustrating a modification of the mechanism forreciprocating the sheet lifting nozzles.

Fig. 8 is a transverse section on line 8-8 of Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a horizontal sectional view illustrating more particularly themeans for transmitting power trl the various operating parts'of themachine.

Figs. 10 and 11 are detail views illustrating a sleeve valve andoperating mechanism, for periodically placing the lifting nozzles incommunication with the atmosphere.

Fig. 12 is a longitudinal section through a lifting nozzle and itsassociated parts.

Fig. 13 is a detail view illustratin devices for giving an alarm onfailure of t e gripping fingers to receive a sheet.

, Fig. 14 is a view showing a cam for operating the gripping lingerswhen they ap- 6o proach their sheet-depositing position.

\ Fig. -15 is a longitudinal section through a sheet tray andillustrates devices-for positively disengaging the sheet from thegripper fingers. y

Fig. 16 is a top plan View of the structure shown by Fig. 15. y

In the form of the invention illustrated in the drawings, the operatingparts of the machine are supported on a frame consisting of suitablyconnected side bars 1,'vertical supports 2 and an intermediate ioor 3.This frame is of an elongated rectangular form and has joui-naledadjacent the two end s thereof a pair of tape rollers 4 and 5 75 whichcarry a number of tapes 6, by means of which the sheets to be collated,or -associated, are conveyed to a sheet receptacle 7. Receptacle 7 hasan inclined bottom 8 and a pivoted gate 9. The roller 4 is driven by 80means of a belt 10, which passes over a pulley fixed to said roller andover a pulley 11.

adapted to be clutched to a counter shaft 12 see F igures 1 and.9).Counter shaft 12 1s preferably rotated by an electric motor S5 which isconnected to said shaft by a belt For the sake of simplicity, themachine illustrated is adaptied to associate sheets in sets of only two.rIhe general principles of the machine shown, however, may of course beapplied in the construction of machines adapted to associate any numberof sets of sheets.

The sheets to be collated or associated are arranged in suitablepileswhich are placed on trays 15 supported on the frame in slightly inclinedposition directly above the upper runs of tapes 6 and at suitableydistances apart. These trays may consist simply of a flat plate havingan upwardly extending portion formed on the lower edge thereof. Forfacilitating the lifting of the sheets from the trays by Amechanismwhich will be hereinafter described, the inner faces of the upwardlyextending portions have secured thereon a number of narrow ariallelstrips 16 against which the forwar edge of the sheet pile rests. Thesestrips prevent the sheets from making close contact with 1w the face ofthe end plate 'and effect free communication between the edges of thesheets and the atmosphere, thus preventing the 'formationof a vacuumwhen a sheet is Ilifted, which would interfere with the lifting or mightcause twol or more sheets to be lifted together.

Mounted to\ reciprocate up rand down above the lower end of each tray 15isa set of vacuum nozzles 17, each set in the illustration comprisingthree nozzles. These nozzles are for the purpose of lifting the sheetssingly from the trays and presenting them to reciprocating sheetgrippers which will be presently described. 'Tliie nozzles are'adjustably mounted`on a transverse bar 18, as clearly shown in Fig. 12.These nozzles, which may be of soft rubber and of ageneral hollowhemispherical form, have vnecks which receive the lower ends of tubes 19fixed in slides 20. The slides have parallel flanges 21 which engage theupper and lower sides of bar 18 and are secured against lateraldisplacement by pins 22 and fixed 1n adjusted positions by screws 23;`Flexible hose 24 connect the upper ends of tubes 19 with pipes 25 whichare connected to des pending pipes 26, which in turn are'connected topiping 27 communicating with a vacuum pump 28 driven by an electrlcmotor 29. The pipes 25 are secured 1n the upper ends of transverselyaligned pillars 30, which are bolted to the side bars 1 of the frame.Each bar 18 has its ends slidable in vertical slots formed in thepillars 30 for reciprocation up and down. The train of mechanism forreciprocating the bars 18 comprises the following parts: A shaft 31,journaled in bearings secured to floor 3, is driven from the countershaft 12 by means of a pulley 32 adapted to be clutched to the countershaft, a pulley 33'keyed to shaft 31 and a belt 34 passing over thesepulleys. A cam 35 fixed to shaft 31' engages a roller on a lever 36which is fulcrumed at its lower end and is joined at its upper end toabar 37, which extends longitudinally of the frame yand is suitablyguided lfor reciprocation thereon. I

Socketed in the bar 37 are arms 38 which are rotatably mounted on theends of shafts 39. Shafts 39 are journaled in extensions 4() of pillars30 and each of said shafts has fixed thereon adjacent to the arm' 38. anarm 41, which extends parallel to arm 38 and has a lateral extension orflange A42 provided with a screw 43 adapted to engage the forv ward edgeof arm 38. Each shaft 39 has fixed thereon a pair of arms 44 which havetheir free ends connected-to the respective bar 18 by means of links 45.:spring 46 maintains the roller of lever 36 in engagement with the cam35. In the position of the parts shown in-Fg. 2 the nozzles 17 areresting on top of the pile of sheets in tray 15.

:temeer When the cam 35 turns sufficiently to 'bring the cam portionthereof opposite to the roller on lever 36, the spring 46 moves saidlever quickly to the left, looking atFigs. 2 and 3, thereby moving thearm 38 into engagement with the screw op flange` 42 and -rocking shaft39 in a direction to lift the s lows them to fall independently, so thatthe several sets of nozzles may, and do, fall different distancesdepending on the heights of the sheet piles in the several trays 15,irre,- spective of the throw of the operating mech anism. Due to thefreedom of the nozzlesy tov adjust themselves on the sheet pile, theedges of the nozzles make agood contact with the top sheet, irrespectiveof the height of the'sheet pile, thus facilitating the creation of .avacuum or suction in the nozzles and making positive and certain the:adhesion thereto of the sheet.

Means are provided for grasping thesheets when lifted by the nozzles andtransferring them to the tapes 6. There is provided for this purpose aset of reciprocating sheet-gripping fingers for each set of nozzles.These fingers are mounted on bars 47 which extend longitudinally of theframe and reston rollers 48'fmounted in brackets secured the inner facesof pillars 30. In the illustration each set of gripping fingers consistsof three pairs, each pair 'comprising an upper rotatable finger 49 and alower relatively stationary finger 50. The lower fingers are secured toa transverse shaft 51 which is fixed tothe bars 47 The upper fingers 49are fixed to a transverse shaft 52 which is rotatably mounted in thebars 47.

.A coiled spring' 53, surrounding the shaft 52 and fixed at one end tothe shaft and at the other end to bar 47, tends to holdfingers 49 inengagement with fingers 50. Bars 47 are reciprocated to move the fingerstowards and from the trays 15 by means of levers 54, which arefulcrumedat their lower ends on floor 3 and have their upper endsconnected to bars 47 by means of links 55. The levers 54 are connectedby links 56 to crank disks 57 secured to the ends of shaft 31. Thus therotation of shaft 31 oscillates thc levers 54 andy -reciprocates thegripping fingers towards and from the sheet travs in timed rezlation tothe up and down reciprocations of the lifting nozzles, the parts beingconstructed and arranged so that just after the nozzles have lifted asheet, the fingers which temeer 'i are then open will receive theforward edge of the sheet and will thenclose to grasp the sheet firmlytherebetween; then the fingers vwill move forward transferring the sheetto a position over the tapes 6, and when the .fingers approach the limitof their forward movement they will open and deposit the sheet on saidtapes. The means for opening and closing the fingers as they approachthe limits of their movements towards the trays comprise the followingpartsi An arm 58 having a laterally projecting pin carry- I ing a roller59, is secured on the en'd of.i shaft-52. A cam plate 60 is pivoted at61u on pillar and is urgedby a coil spring 62 to rest on a bracket 63fixed to said pillar. Cam plate 60 has a notch 64 cut in its inner edge.When the fingers approach tray -15 the roller 59 rides over the tpperface Aof cam plate 60 and is thus moved by said cam plate to rotateshaft 52 and open the fingers (see F ig. 6). Further mdvement of thengers cause the forward edge of the sheet whichhas been fitted by thenozzles to enter the throats defined by said fingers. Roller 59 thenregisters with notch 64, permitting coil spring 53 to rotate shaft 52and grip j the sheet between the fingers. Vhen the fingers move forward,roller 59 contacts the lower face of cam plate 60. the latterv yieldingupwardly to permit the pin to move past it. i j c rihe means foropeningthe fingers to cause deposit of the sheet held thereby onto thetapesY comprises a cam plate`65 (Fig. 14) secured to the upper side offrame bar 1. `When the fingers approach their'forward limits of movementthe rollers 59 ride up on cam plates65 causing rotation of shafts 52 andconsequent opening of the fingers and release of the sheets heldthereby.

After the sheet has entered the throats formed by the fingers and beforethe fingers start on their forward movement, the vacuum in nozzles`17should be broken, so that the sheet may be withdrawn freely from saidnozzles. Means are provided therefore for placing the nozzles incommunication with the atmosphere penodially *during the operation ofthe machine and at the time just` after the sheet has been gripped bythe 1ingers and before the latter begin their movement away from thenozzles. In the illustration this means comprises a rotating sleevevalve 67 which periodically places the piping 27 in communication withthe atmosphere. Referring to Figs. 1, 10-and 11, the piping 27 isconnected to a shortV depending section of pipe 68 by a T-fitting 69.Screwed on the lower end of pipesection 68 is a closure cap 70 andseated on this cap and surrounding the pipe 68 is a sleeve 71. Asclearly ShoWn'=by Figs. 10 and 11, pipe 68 is provided with a verticalslit 72 and sleeve 71 is provided with a similar slit 73 l adapted toregister with slit72. For operating sleeve 71 there is provided a cam 74 on shaft 30; a lever 75 fulcrumed at its lower end on f'loor 3,provided with an arm 76 yengaging cam 74 and connected at its upper endto one end of a link 76; and a bell lcrank 77 having one arm pivoted tothe other end of link 7 6 and having its other arm connected to an arm79 on sleeve 71 by a link 80. As will be observed from Fig. 10, the cam74 has an abrupt shoulder 81 which will cause an abrupt rapid rotationof the sleeve 71 when the movement of the cam brings said shoulder inalignment with the upper edge of arm 7 6, permitting the spring -82 tomove 75 quickly towards the right, as viewed in Fig. 10. This quickmovement of the lever 75 towards the right brings the slits 72 and 73 inalignment, thus placing the nozzles in communication with theatmosphere. This occurs just after the roller 59 has moved through slot64 and causes the sheet to be gripped by the fingers and before thefingers start; on their forward travel. ln order to prevent theformation of a high vacuum and consequent excessive load on 'the pump,there is provided a relief valve 27 of any suitable construction in thepiping 27.

It is of course important in machines of this character that theassociated sets of sheets should be complete, that is, that there shouldbe no failure of any one or more of the sets of sheet feeding devices.Failure of a particular set of' feeding devices v,might occur by thefailure of the nozzles to lift a sheet or by the failure of Dthegrippers to func-tlon properly orit might occur by reason of the factthat the pile of sheets cured a strip of brass 85, or other suitable iconducting material. A conductor 86 is secured at one end to plate 85 bya binding screw 87 and at its other end to the upper center sheetgripping finger 49. Finger 49 may be suitably insulated from shaft 52 byan insulating bushing 49a. Shaft 51 is grounded, `as indicated in Fig.13. One terminal of the bell is connected to a metallic roller 88 whichis rotatablyy'zsupported in a bracket 89 secured to pillar 30, the saidroller being supported in such position that ,it will contact the plate85 when the fingers are near their respective tray and just afteryieldingly supported to have slight vertical movements, so as to makegood contactzwith plate 85. The other terminal of the bell is connectedto one pole of a source of energy which may be in a dry battery 88, theother pole of said source being grounded. It will be obvious from theconnections described that when the fingers close to grip a sheet,

, if a sheet is not between the center gripping fingers 49 and rv5t), toinsulate these fingers from each other, the circuit through the bellwill be closed, thereby'apprising the operator of the failure. Theoperator may then stop the machine until the cause of the failure hasbeen removed. The blocks 84 are positioned so that they come in contactwith rollers 88 only after the fingers 49 have been raised to receivesheets; then if a sheet is not present between the fingers when theyclose, the circuit will be completed to ring the bell only for the shortperiod of the forward movement of the fingers, while rollers 88 are inContact withvstrips 85.

Figs. 7 and 8 show a modification of the mechanism for reciprocating thelifting nozzles. In this modification a bar.9O is supported forlongitudinal reciprocation on each side of the machine and these barsare operated by suitable cam and lever mechanism from shaft 31.Fulcrumed on the und-cr side of each frame bar 1 is a bell crank havingone arm connected by pin and slot with thev respective bar 9()l andhaving its other arm connected by a link 91 to the adjacent end portionof bar 18. The lost motionv provided by the pin and slot connectionvbetween the bell cranks and thc bars 90 will permit the nozzles to fallby gravity different distances as required by the di ffcrent heights ofthe sheet piles in the trays.

For the purpose of positively disengaging the sheets from the grippersand rendering` certain their deposit on the conveyor tapes, Imay elnploya device such as is illustrated by Figs. 15 and 1G. The device shownczxrlsts of a knocker adapted to be automatically actuated when thegrippers approach their sheet depositing position. Referring to thespecific construction illustrated, a shaft 92 is journaled in bearingssecured to a depending lip formed on the rear edge of tray 15. Thisshaft has fixed thereon one or more arms 93, which have secure-d totheir free ends a knocker 94. -ln the illustration two arms are shown.The linoclrers 94 may be constructed of lany suitable light material.Surrounding the shaft 92. adjacent one end thereof is a coil spring' 95.which is secured at one end to the shaft and at its other end to thebearing. The spring tends to hold the shaft in the positio`n shown byFig. 15. with the. knocltcr in raised position. Rigidly attached to theshaft 92 are two cam arms 9G which extend down into thepath of thegripper shafts.

their sheet depositing position, the gripper shaft 52 rides along theunder side of the arms 96 and thereby causes-the shaft 92 to 'rotaterapidly, thusy throwing down the knocker 94 and delivering a smart tapto the sheet just after the grippers have opened. Thus is effected apositive disengagement of the sheet and certain assurance that it willbe deposited on the conveyor tapes.'

The operationof the machine will be clear 'from the foregoingdescription. It is only to be further noted that when the sheets havebeen simultaneously deposited by the gripping fingers on to thetravelling tapes, the velocity of latter is sufficient to move all ofthe sheets past the sheet feeding devices which are next to the deliveryend of the machine, before the sheet feeding devices deposit another setof sheets on said tapes.

v Various changes and modifications may of course be made in the machineillustrated without departing from the general operating principlesthereof.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new and desire-dto be secured by Letters latejnt is:

l. A collating machine, comprising a frame, means for supporting apile/of sheets at cach of a plurality of spaced positions on' saidframe, sheet conveying means mounted vertically below said supportingmeans adapted to convey sheets to a common point, sheet lifting devicesfor each pile of sheets, means for substantially simultaneouslyoperating said devices to cause each to lift a sheet and hold same inelevated position, sheet grippers for each pile of sheets. means foroperating said grippers in timed relation to said devices to cause themto simultaneously grasp the sheets held by said devices and then moveforward to position the sheets over said conveying means, and means forcausing said grippers to release the sheets substantially simultaneouslyas they approach the limits of their forward movements.

Q. A collating machine, comprising a frame, means for supporting a pileof sheets at each of a plurality of positions on said frame, sheetconveying means adapted to convey sheets to a common point, sheetlifting device for each pile of sheets adapted to lift sheets singlytherefrom, and means for simultaneously transferring the sheets fromsaid devices to said conveying means.

' said conveying means operating to move all the sheets depositedthereon away from the sheet supporting means before the next group ofsheets is deposited.

P. A collating machine comprising a frame, a plurality of sheet.receiving trays mounted on said frame at longitudinally spaced pointsthereof, sheet conveying means mounted vertically below said trays, aset of sheet.

amasar lifting devices mounted above each tray to reciprocate up anddown, and means for transferring sheets from said devices to saidconveying means. y

4:. A collating machine, comprising a frame, a plurality of sheetreceiving trays mounted on said frame at longitudinally spaced pointsthereof, sheet conveying means mounted vertically below said traysadapted to convey sheets to a common point, a set of sheet liftingdevices above each tray mounted to reciprocate up -and down, means forreciprocating said devices and means opera-t,- ing in timed relationtheretofor transferring sheets therefrom to said conveying means.

5. collating machine, comprising a frame, means for supporting a pile ofsheets at each of a plurality @f spacedpositions on said frame, sheetconveying means mounted vertically below said supporting means adaptedto convey sheets to a common point, a setof sheet lifting devices aboveeach tray mounted to 'reciprocate up and down, a set of sheet grippersfor each tray mounted to reciprocate longitudinally of said frame, and

`means for reciprocating said devices and grippers in timed relation tocause said A grippers to take the sheets presented thereto by saiddevices and-deposit same on said conveying means. v

6.' A collating machine, comprising a frame, means for supporting a pileof sheets at each of a plurality of longitudinally spaced positions onsaid frame, continuously running tapes below said trays adapted toconvey sheets to a common point, devices for lifting sheets singly fromsaid trays, and means operating in ytimed relation to said devices fortransferring the sheets therefrom to said tapes simultaneously, saidtapes having a suiicient velocity to move all the sheets depositedthereon away from the sheet supporting means before the next group ofsheets is fed thereto.

7 A collating machine, comprising a frame a plurality of sheet receivingtrays mounted on said frame at longitudinally spaced points thereof,sheet conveying means mounted vertically below said trays adapted toconvey sheets to a common point, a trans versely extending set of vacuumnozzles mounted above each tray adapted'to reciprocate up and down, aset of sheet grippers for each set of nozzles mounted to reciprocatelongitudinally of said frame, and means for operating said nozzles andsheet grippers in timed relation.

8. A collating vmachine, comprising a frame, a plurality of trays, eachadapted to hold a-pile of sheets, mounted on said frame atlongitudinally spaced points thereof.y a set 'of downwardly openingvacuum nozzles extending transversely above each set of trays andmounted to reciprocate up and down, a transversely disposed set of sheetgripping lingers for each tray mounted on said frame to reciprocatelongitudinally thereof, means for reciprocating said nozi zles andgripping lingers in timed relation, means for automatically opening andclosing said fingers as they approach the limits of their movements,means for releasing the vacuum in said nozzles as vthe sheets aregripped by said fingers, and sheet conve ing means mounted verticallybelow sa1d trays and lingers adapted to receive sheets from said fingersand convey same to a common point.

9. A collating machine, comprising a frame, a transverse horizontalrollenjournaled in said frame adjacent each end thereof, means forrotatin one of said rollers, tapes passing over saidg rollers, aplurality of trays each adapted to hold a pile of sheets mounted on saidframe at longitudinally spaced points thereof and slightly above theupper runs of said tapes, a set of downmounted on said frame toreciprocate longitudinally therepf, means for reciprocating said nozzlesand gripping lingers in timed relation, means for automatically openingsaid lingers as they approach the limits of their movement towards saidtrays and then closing said lingers on the sheets presented thereto bysaid nozzles, and means for opening said fingers as they approach the'limits of their movements away from the trays to deposit the sheets onsaid tapes.

l0. A collating machine, comprising a frame, a plurality of trays eachadapted to hpld a pile of sheets mounted on said frame at longitudinallyspaced vpoints thereof, a set of downwardly opening vacuum nozzlesextending transversely above each set of trays and mounted toreciprocate up and down, a transversely disposed set of sheet grippingfingers for each tray mounted on said frame to reciprocatelongitudinally thereof, means for reciprocating said nozzles and sheetgripping fingers in timed relation, means for automatically opening andclosing said fingers when near the limitsof their movements towards andaway from said trays, and sheet conveying means mounted vertically belowsaid trays and fingers adapted to receive sheets from said lingers andconvey same to a common point.

11. A collating machine, comprising a a frame, a plurality of sheetreceiving receptacles mounted on said frame at longitudinally spacedpoints thereof, a transversely arranged set of sheet gripping fingersfor each tray mounted on said frame to reciprocate longitudinallythereof, means for reciprocating said fingers, means for opening andclosing said lingers when near Mil the limits of their movements towardsand away from said receptacles, means for presenting sheets from saidreceptacles singly to said fingers as the latter approach the limits oftheir movements towards said receptacles, and sheet conveying meansmounted vertically below said trays and fingers adapted to receivesheets from the latter and convey same to the common point.

12. A collating machine, comprising a frame, a transverse horizontalroller journaled in said frame adjacent each end thereof, means forcontinuously rotating one of said rollers, a series of endless tapespassing around vsaid rollers, a plurality of longitudinally spaced sheetreceiving trays mounted 0n said frame slightly above the upper runs ofsaid tapes, a pair of transversely aligned pillars having vertical slotsmounted on the sides of said frame adjacent each sheet receiving tray, atransverse bar for each pair of pillars having ends slidable in theslots thereof, a plurality of downwardly opening nozzles secured to eachbar, a transverse pipe securedto the upper ends of each pair of pillars,iiexible conduits connecting each pipe with its associated nozzles,means for creating a vacuum in said pipes, a pair of longitudinallyextending bars slidably mounted on the sides of said frame, means forreciprocating said transL verse bar and longitudinal bars in timedrelation, a plurality of pairs of transverse shafts mounted in saidlongitudinal bars, one pair for each sheet receiving tray, sheet'gripping fingers mounted on said shafts, one shaft of each pair beingfixed and the other rotatable and biased to hold the sheet grippingfingers closed, an arm fixed on each rotatable shaft having a laterallyproject-.

ing pin, a pivo-ted cam plate adjacent each sheet receiving tray havinga slot in the inner edge thereof, said pin and the arm of the respectiverotatable shaft being adapted to engage the upper face of said cam plateto open said gripping fingers to receive a sheet from the respectivenozzles and then to move through said slot to cause said fingers to gripsaid sheet, cams mounted on said frame adapted to be engaged by the pinsand the arms of said rotatable shafts when the latter approach thelimits of their movesaid'rollers, a plurality of longitudinally,

spaced sheet receiving trays mounted on said frame slightly above theupper runs lof said tapes, a pair of transversely aligned\r-- pillarshaving vertical slots mounted on the sides of said frame adjacent eachsheet rereiving tray, a transverse bar for each pair of pillars havingends slidable in the slots thereof, a plurality of downwardly openingnozzles secured to each bar, a transverse shafts to open and close saidgripping fingers i when the latter are near their limits ofreciprocating movements, and means for automatically releasing thevacuum in said nozzles when the sheets are gripped by said fingers.

14. A collating machine comprising a frame. means for supportingv a pileof sheets at each of a plurality of spaced positions on said frame,sheet conveying means mounted vertically below said supporting meansadapted to convey sheets to a common point, a set of sheet liftingdevices above each tray mounted to reciprocate up and down` a set ofsheet grippers for cach tray mounted to reciprocate longitudinally ofsaid frame. means for reciprocating said grippers and means operating intimed relation thereto for reciprocating said lifting devices, said lastnamed means including a one-ma;v connection operating` to positivelylift said devices but permitting the latter to fall by gravity untilbrought to rest by the respective sheet pile.

15. A collating machine, comprising a frame, means for supporting a pileof sheets` at each of a plurality of spaced positions or said frame,sheet conveying means mounted vertically below said supporting meansadapted to convey sheets to a common point, a set of sheet liftingnozzles for each pile of sheets, means for simultaneously operating saidnozzles to cause each set to lift a sheet and hold same in elevatedposition, said last named means including a one-Way connection operatingto positively lift said nozzles but permitting them to fall by gravitydifferent distances according to the heights of 'the sheet piles, sheetgrippers for each pile of sheets, means for operating said grippers intimed relation to said nozzles to cause them to simultaneously grasp thesheets held by said nozzles and then move forward to position the sheetsbine with devices for automatically lifting sheets singly therefrom,said tray comprising an inclined bottom board having an upwardlyextending board secured to the lower edge thereof and provided on itsinner face with a. plurality of narrow, upwardly extending strips, forthe purpose described.

17. lna machine of the, class described, a trayA adapted to hold a pileof sheets, combined with a set of lifting nozzles reciproca-bly mountedthe-reabove and adapted to lift sheets singly therefrom, satidtray'having an inclined bottom and having an end board secured to thelower edge thereof, the inner 'face of said.end board provided withvertical channels to eifect'free communication of the atmosphere withthe forward edges of I the sheets held by said tray.

. spaced points thereof, sheet 18. A machine of the comprising incombination, a plurality of spaced supports adapted to carry piles ofsheets, a receiving surface, sheet conveying tapes passing adjacent saidsupports and discharging on said surface, means operating at regularintervals to simultaneously take a sheet from each support and depositthe same on said tapes, and means to move said tapes at a velocitysufficient to move all of the sheets deposited thereon away from thesupports before the next group of sheets is fed thereto. A

19. A collating machine, comprising a frame, a plurality of sheetreceiving trays mounted on said frame at longitudinally conveyingmeansmounted below said 'trays adapted to convey sheets to a common point, aset of sheet lifting devices above each tray mounted to reciprocate upand down, a set of sheet character ldescribedL grippers for cach traymounted to reciprocate longitudinally of said frame, means forreciprocating said grippers and lifting devices in timed relation, meansfor opening and closing said grippers when near the limits of theirmovements, and means for positively moving said sheets downwardly fromsaid grippers subsequently to the opening thereof. i

20. A collating machine, comprising a frame, a plurality of sheetreceiving trays mounted on said frame at longitudinally spaced pointsthereof, sheet conveying means mounted below said trays adapted toconvey sheets to a common point, a set of sheet lift- .ing devices aboveeach tray mounted to reciprocate up and down, a set of sheet grippersfor each tray mounted to reciprocate longitudinally of said frame, meansfor reciprocatingsaid grippers and lifting devices in timed relation,means for opening and closinof said grippers when near the limits oftheir movements; and a knoclzer associated with each set of grippers andadapted to be actuated to deliver a smart tap on top of the sheet whenthe grippers are in sheet depositing position and have opened to releasethe sheet.

21. Ina sheet feeding machine, a frame, av sheet support thereon, a setof endless tapes mounted on the frame vertically below the sheetsupport, a set of grippers reciprocating onthe frame towards and awayfrom the support, said grippers moving away from the support opposite tothe movement' 80 of the upper runs of the tapesmeans for c transferringsheets from the support to the grippers and means for cooking anduncocking the grippers so that 4they will grasp the sheets and permitthem to fall on the tapes.

In testimony whereof I hereunto ailix my signature.

HARRY V. ASHBY.

